Extracellular matrix (ECM) is an important structural component of connective tissues. ECM elaborated by cells creates microenvironments that these and other cells will respond to, by differentiating or maintaining their differentiated state. ECM provides a substrate for organization of cells which adhere to it.
Tissue based ECM biomaterial and devices are used for a variety of medical applications, such as heart valves, porcine SIS, human dermis and bovine pericardium. The application of decellularized tissues as tissue engineering scaffolds for regenerative medicine, however, is limited due to a lack of vascular extracellular matrix components for facilitating angiogenesis, which is vital for tissue ingrowth and the viability and functionality of seeded cells. Tissue that is highly vascularized and rich in vascular extracellular matrix components maintained during the decellularization process would be welcomed in the art.
The greater omentum is the largest peritoneal fold covering the intra-abdominal organs. The greater omentum is highly vascularized, is usually thin and elastic, and always contains some fat. As such, the greater omentum has been used in clinical applications, such as intestinal surgery, thoracic esophageal surgery, chronic, non-healing skin wounds, hernia and pelvic floor repair, bladder repair, and the like.
Because the vascular extracellular matrix components of decellularized omentum can serve as a substrate for neovascularization, omentum is a desired material for clinical application. The fat within the omentum, however, is difficult to remove using methods and procedures known in the art for decellularizing soft mammalian tissue. Thus, effective use of decellularized omentum for biomatricies, including as a tissue based ECM biomaterial is limited because, in part, the processes and methods for devitalizing tissue described in the art cannot effectively extract the fat from omentum.